The UN Commission investigating human rights abuses in North Korea has heard harrowing evidence of torture, starvation and murder in political prisons.

A week of public hearings on North Korea's prison camps is coming to a close in Seoul today.

The hearings are part of a year-long UN investigation into human rights abuses, which North Korea is refusing to cooperate with.

Australian former High Court judge Michael Kirby is leading the Commission.

"North Korea has said there are no such camps, but in the modern age you have Google Earth and you have international satellite pictures," he said.

"Apart from that there's been a lot of harrowing evidence about food supply and a question is raised by that as to whether if a government knows that people are dying in large numbers..we heard of stacks of people found in railway stations in North Korea.

"If that is the case, then at a certain point a failure of a government to respond to take urgent corrective measures and to seek available help from the international community through the World Health programme... at what point does callous neglect turn into wilful conduct?"

Mr Kirby says despite efforts to the contrary, there's yet to be any constructive engagement between the Commission and the North Korean government.

"Immediately we convened we sent a letter respectfully to the mission of the North Koreans in Geneva," he said.

"That produced a response which indicated they regarded the establishment of the Commission as a hostile act.

"We will continue to reach out to them and we'll continue to seek their assistance."

Mr Kirby says although the Commission is denied access to North Korea, there are lots of witnesses willing to testify.

He says the Commission's findings once published are likely to be sent to the United Nations.

"Assuming that the testimony continues along the lines that we have and assuming that it hasn't been rebutted in any substantive way, then our report will go to the General Assembly," he said.

"There are a number of options open to the United Nations and we are completing our part of the jigsaw puzzle.

"We would expect and hope that the international community will be playing its part later when the report is delivered."